Extensible lighting fixture



Ot. s, 1946. '1. I. KLONER 2,408,783

EXTENSIBLE LIGHTING FIXTURE v I Filed Dec. '7, 1943 4 SheetS- SI IeetZ v EIG.. 5. f I 6.6.

3/ a0 7 Z2 u 5 3 Z6 kg L, .36v i 39 '39 w;

INVENIOR.

' /AV//V A Kala/V5,?

' I BY WITNESS. v

' v ATTORIEYS.

i; I, KLONER EXTENSIBIQII LIGHTING FIXTURE Filed'Ded 7, 1943 4 Shee ts-Sheet 4' INVENTOR. Am m/c; A KLoA/E 'BY AZ ATTORNEYS I Patented Oct. 8, 1946 UNITED STATE s I PATE r OFFICE r 9 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in lighting fixtures and more particularly it pertains to'lighting fixtures of the fluorescent type. V v f V Fluorescent lamps are generally in the form of long cylindrical tubes which are suspended from a housing by tube sockets which engage the ends of the tubes. g

The tubes are of standard lengths andit is the common practice to build the housings to fit the different lengths of the tubes.

It is one object of this invention to provide a new and novel construction of housing which will permit of extension thereof, thereby to adapt the housing to the support of two or more tubes in axial alinement.

It is a further object of the invention to construct the housings in sections which may be connected together in such a manner as to present the appearance of a continuous structure.

A feature of the invention resides in a novel means for connecting a plurality of housing sections together which connecting means also includes tube socket attaching and suspending means; i V

With the above and other objects in view, reference will now be had to the accompanying drawings wherein. s g

Figure 1 is a View in side elevation illustrating a lighting fixture constructed in accordance with the presentinvention, mounted upon a ceiling wall,

Figure 2 is a view in elevation partly broken away and on an enlarged scale, the fixturehaving been turned 90 with respect tothe position in which it is shown in Figure l, i

Figure 3 is a'view in end elevation on a still further enlarged scale,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view partly broken away and taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 4,

Figure 6 is a detail sectional View on an enlarged scale taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 4, 7

Figure '7 is a detail fragmentary plan view illustrating the outer end construction of one of the housing sections illustrating the lamp socket supporting member in position to be moved into lamp socket supporting position,

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a lamp socket supporting'member such as employed at the ends of the completed housing; a I

Figure 9 is a view in elevation on an enlarged scale, illustrating the manner in which two housing sections are arranged in end to end relation with a double socket supporting member shown in full lines in position to be moved tosection connecting position and in dotted lines in its section connecting position,

Figurelo is a detail perspective view illustrating a connecting member for connecting together two housing sections in end to end relation,

Figure 11 is an end view of the inner end of one of the housing sections,

Figure 12 is an end viewiof the outer end of one of the housing sections showing the end closing wall removed,

Figure 13 is a transverse sectional view on an enlargedscale taken substantially on the line l3--l 3 of Figure 4, Figure 14: is a plan view illustrating a modified form of lamp s'ocket'supporting member for use at the meeting lends of two housing sections secured together in end to end relation,

Figure 15 is a detail perspective view of the end closing wall employed to close the outer ends of the end sections of the housing.

Figure 16 is a detail vertical sectional view through the intermediate housing section and one of the end walls.

Figure 1'7 is a detail vertical sectional view through the coupling between the intermediate housing section and one of the end housing sections, and

Figure 18 is a detail vertical sectional view through the coupling between one end housing section and an intermediate housing section. 7 Referring to the drawings by reference character, the lighting fixture comprises a housing 15, lamp sockets l6 and lamps I! in the form of tubes suspended from the housing l5 by the lamp sockets 16.

While the housing I5 is of special construction,

as will hereinafter appear, the lamp sockets I6 and the lamps 'Il may be of the conventional types.

As illustrated in Figure 1,,the housing is formed of three sections secured together in end to end relation. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may be embodied in a two section housing, or further that a housing may be built up of more than three sections, if desired, and that'theinvention is not, therefore, limited to any specific number of sections.

.In thefldrawings, the right hand end section is designated l8 and the left hand end section is designated l9,;the intermediate section being desam ss 3 ignated 2i and each section includes a base member and a cover therefor which latter encloses the several parts, except the lamp sockets which project through openings in the cover member.

The base member is designated 2| in the drawings and is of channel form having a base wall 22 and side walls 23, the free edges of which are provided throughout the greater portion of their length with an inwardly turned narrow flange 24.

The inner end of each of the end sections l8 and i is open while the outer end of each of these sections is closed by an end wall 25. The end walls 25, for closin the outer end of each of the end sections, being similar in construction, a description of one will be sufficient.

The end Wall 25 has a wing extension 26 extending from each of its side edges and these wing extensions project into the base member in contact with the inner face of the side Walls thereof, when the end wall is in position. Each of these win extensions 26 ha a relatively narrow inwardly turned flange 2'! upon its lower edge when the housing is in the position shown in Figure 4 and each of these flanges has an opening 28, the purpose of which will appear hereinafter. The end wall 25 is also provided upon its lower edge, when viewed in Figure 4, with a return bend or hem 29, the purpose of which will also appear hereinafter.

Upon its upper edge when viewed in Figure 4, the end wall is provided with a centrally disposed inwardly extending projection 30 having an opening 3| therein, which projection, when the end wall is in position, lies in a recess 32 in the outer face of the base wall 22 of the base member. Also extending from this same edge of the end wall there are two extensions 33. There being one of these extensions upon each side of' the projection 39., These extensions 33 are each slightly spaced from the projection 30 as illustrated in Figure '7 of the drawings. and are therefore independent thereof. When the end wall 25 is in position, these extensions engage the inner face of the base wall 22 of the base member 2|, there being one of these extensions illustrated in elevation in Figure 4.

The extending projection 30 has two functions as follows:

When the fixture is attached directly to a ceiling or wall as herein illustrated, the projection lies within its recess 32 leaving the outer face of the base wall 22 of the base member 2|, flush to fit against a flat surface and serves to provide ri idity to the end wall of the housing. When it is desired to suspend the fixture, the projection 3-6 may be bent into the same plane as the end wall in which position it provides for the attachment of suspension chain or the like.

The end wall may be provided with one or more knock-outs such as 34.

Referring to Figure '7 of the drawings, it will be noted that the inwardly turned flanges 24 each has a slight cut out such as 35. This construction permits of turning a portion of each of' these flanges inwardly as at 36, leaving an independent or separate end section 31 at the outer end of each of the side walls of the base member.

The lamp socket supporting member is designated .31. and is best illustrated in Figures '7 and 8. It comprises a main body portion 38 havin end portions or flanges 39 pressed slightly out of the plane of the main body portion 38 as at 43 and each of these end flanges has an open.- ing 4| therein. It also has two side flanges 42 and 4 4-3, the latter being slightly off-set as illustrated in Figure 7. In its main body portion, it is provided with a lamp socket receiving opening 44 from which leads a slot 45 to receive a screw for securing a lamp socket thereto.

In Figure '7 of the drawings, the lamp socket supporting member 3? is shown in position to be moved into place between the flanges 37 of the side walls of the base member 2| and the inwardly turned flanges 2! of the wing extensions 26 of th end wall 25, in which latter position it is illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 6.

In moving the lamp socket supporting memher to the position just described, the side walls 23 of the base member 2| are sprung slightly outwardly and are allowed to return to their normal position after the lamp socket supporting member is in place. As the side walls return to their normal position, the free ends of the turned in portions 36 of the flanges 24 snap behind the edge of the lamp socket carrying member and serve to aid in retaining it in its final position.

When the lamp socket supporting member is in place in its final position, its opening 4! will register with the openings 28 in the inwardly turned flanges 21 of the wing extensions 26 of the end wall 25,

The inner end construction of the :base member is illustrated in Figure 10 of the drawings.

Referring to this figure, it will be noted that each of the side flanges 24 of the side walls 23 of the base member 2| is cut as at 43- and the corner 49 is slightly off-set to provide a stop which will be hereinafter described. This construction leaves a relatively short flange 55 upon the ends of the side walls 23 of the base member.

The reference character 58, see Figure 10, designates a coupling member by which one end of an intermediate section 20 may be attached to an end section such as. just described in end to end relation thereto.

This coupling member is channel shaped in cross-section having a base wall 5| and side walls 5.2. Extending inwardly from the free end of each of the side walls 52 there is a relatively short be seen that the telescoping portions of the coupling member and inner end of the housing section 8 are spot welded together as at A, so that the coupling member 50 is fixedly secured to the inner end of said housing section. Likewise, the coupling member 59 between. the intermediate section 20 and the end section 9 is fixed to the left end of the intermediate. section 22! for telescoping engagement with the inner end of the end section I9.

The two end sections are of the same construction and in view of this fact, it is believed that theforegoing description of one will suffice.

The intermediate, section 20. comprises a channel shaped member having av base wall 55 and side walls 51. Each endv of this member is open and the construction at each end is the same, therefore it is believed that the description of one end thereof will be suflicient.

Referring to Figure lO-it will be noted that the side walls 5! of the channel member are formed on their free edges with flanges 58. These flanges 58 are cut transversely as at 59 and a portion thereof turned inwardly as at 60 to provide a stop 6| against which the coupling member engages when it telescopes into the end of the section 20. This construction provides relative short flange sections 62 which cooperate with the flanges 53 of the coupling member 50 to form guides for a lamp socket supporting member which will be hereinafter described.

The lamp socket supporting member employed at this location may be either of several types depending uponthe general appearance desired in the finished fixture.

For example, in Figure 4 there are shown two lamp sockets l6 arranged in back to back contacting relation and it is this arrangement of lamp sockets which is shown in Figure 1.

When the aforementioned arrangement of lamp sockets is desired, a lamp socket supporting member such as illustrated in Figure 8 is employed, the only difference being that the opening 44 therein will be of sufficient size to receive two lamp sockets in :back to back relation instead of a single lamp socket and two slots 45 are arranged in opposed side walls thereof, as shown in Figure 9.

In some instances, it may be desirable to space the intermediate lamp sockets from each other and in such cases, a lamp socket supporting member of the type illustrated in Figure 14 may be employed.

The lamp socket supporting member illustrated in Figure 14, comprises a main body portion 15 which has two spaced socket receiving openings 16, each of which is of a size to receive a single socket. Side flanges "H are formed by pressing side sections of the body portion out of the plane of the main body portion as at 18 and these side flanges are provided with openings 19.

When this type of construction is employed, the flanges 53 must necessarily be longer than illustrated in Figure 10 and each must be provided with two openings instead of one as shown in said figure.

The reference character 80 designates a cover member which is adapted to fitover the'open side of the base member 2| to close the same.

The cover member is of channelform and in its base wall 8| it is provided with openings 82 properly positioned to register with the openings 4| in the lamp socket supporting members 31' and the openings 28 in the flanges 21 of the wing sections 26 of the end walls when the several parts are in their proper relative positions.

These several alined openings receive threaded screws or bolts 90, see Figures 5 and 6, preferably of these-called self threading type which when drivenhome form a thread in the openings 28 in the flanges 21.

Thus, it will be obvious that when the screws or bolts 90 are driven home, all of the parts will be securely fastened together in a unitary structure.

By reference to Figure 4 of the drawings, it will be noted that when the several parts are in their assembled position, the oil-set flange 3 of the lamp socket supporting member 31' overlies the inner edge of the return bend or hem 29, which construction lends rigidity to the end wallmember 25.

The base wall 5| of the coupling member is provided with a longitudinal depressed channel e! which is disposed. midway betweenits sides and which extends the length thereof; The

channel 9| slidably receives a depending hollow boss 92 formed in'the base wall of the section 20, said boss having an opening 93 therein. When the sectionill is in final telescoped position upon the coupling member 50, the opening 93 registers with an opening94 in the channel 9|, said registering openings receiving a self threading screw 95, the head thereof being counter-sunk in the'hollow of the-boss 92. Thus, the telescoping parts at each joint between the housing sections is rigidly and securely fastened together.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the present invention provides a novel construction by means of which a fluorescent lighting fixture housing may be constructed in any desired length by the employment of two end sections l8 and I9 and the desired number of intermediate sections 20.

Further, it will be obvious that the present invention also provides for a selection of type and arrangement of lamp sockets.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. In an extensible lighting fixture, a plurality of housing units each comprising a channel member having an open end, and a cover member, relatively narrow flanges extending inwardly of the channel member from the side walls thereof, a relatively short channel section adapted to be received in the open ends of two of said housing units to position and secure them in end to end relation, inwardly turned ears projecting from the side walls of the relatively shorter channel section, a lamp socket supporting member disposed between the inwardly turned flanges of the first mentioned channel members and the inwardly turned ears of the relatively shorter channel section, means passing through the cover member, the lamp socket supporting member and the inwardly turned ears of the relatively shorter channelsection for securing together said channel members, the light socket supporting member and the respective covers of the channel members to form a continuous housing having no partitions intermediate of its ends, and means for securing lamp sockets to the lamp socket sup porting members.

2. An extensible lighting fixture comprising 7 in combination a plurality of separate housing units each comprising a channel member having an open end, means comprising a relatively short channel section adapted for reception in the open ends of a plurality of said housing units to secure them together in end to end relation to form a continuous housing, having an open side, ears projecting inwardly of the relatively short channel section, lamp socket supporting means in the form of a plate having a socket receiving opening therein adapted for sliding movement relative to the housing units and the relatively short connecting channel section to position overlapping the ears of the connecting channel section, means for closing the open side of the continuous housing, and means for securing said last mentioned means and the lamp socket supporting means to the ears of the connecting channel section.

3. A combined end wall and lamp socket supporting. structure for fluorescent lighting fixture housings comprising in combination, a main housing member of channel cross-sectional form and an end wall member therefor, flanges projecting inwardly from the free edge of each side wall of, the main housing member at the end thereof, said end wall member comprising a main body portion adapted to form the end wall of the main housing member, right angular side extensions for engagement with and rigid securement to the inner faces of the side walls of the housing member, an inwardly extending flange on each of said side extensions each adapted to underlie the aforementioned inwardly projecting flange of its respective side wall of the main housing member in spaced relation thereto, means for rigidly securing the right angular side extensions of the end wall member to their respective side walls of the main housing member and a lamp socket carrying member slidable between the inwardly extending flanges of the side walls of the main housing member and the inwardly extending flanges of the right angular side extensions of the end wall member.

4. A combined end wall and lamp socket supporting structure for fluorescent lighting fixture housings comprising in combination, a main housing member of channel cross-sectional form and an end wall member therefor, flanges projecting inwardly from the free edge of each side wall of the main housing member, said end wall member comprising a main body portion adapted to form the end. wall of the main housing member, right angular side extensions for engagement with and rigid securement to the inner faces of the side walls of the main housing member, an inwardly extending flange on each of said side extensions each adapted to underlie the aforementioned inwardly projecting flange of its respective side wall of the main housing member in spaced relation thereto, a reverse bend upon the free edge of the main body portion of the end wall mem ber, means for rigidly securing the right angular side extensions of the end wall member to their respective side walls of the main housing member, a lamp socket carrying plate slidable between the inwardlyextending flanges of the side walls of the main housing member and the inwardly extending flanges of the right angular side extensions cf the end wall member, and a flange upon the lamp socket carrying plate for embracing the reverse bend upon the free edge of the main body portion of the end wall member.

5. A combined end wall and lamp socket supporting structure for fluorescent lighting fixture housings comprising in combination, a main housing member of channel cross-sectional form and an end wall member therefor, flanges projecting inwardly from the free edge of each side wall of the main housing member, said end wall member comprising a main body portion adapted to form the end wall of the main housing member, right angular side extensions for engagement with and rigid securement to the inner faces of the side walls of the main housing member, an inwardly extending flange on each of said side extensions each adapted to underlie the aforementioned inwardly projecting flange of its respective side wall of the main housing member in spaced relation thereto, a reverse bend upon the free edge of the main body portion of the end wall member, means for rigidly securing the right angular side extensions of the end wall member to their respective side walls of the main housing member, a lamp socket carrying plate slidable between the inwardly extending flanges of the side walls of the main housing member and the inwardly extending flanges of the right angular side extensions of the end wall member, a cover for the open side of the main housing member, and means for securing the cover and the lamp socket carrying plate in position relative to the main housing member.

6. A combined end wall and lamp socket supporting structure for fluorescent lighting fixture housing comprising in combination, a main housing member of channel cross-sectional form and an end wall member therefor, flanges projecting inwardly from the free edge of each side wall of the main housing member, said end Wall member comprising a main body portion adapted to form the end wall of the main housing member, right angular side extensions for engagement with and rigid securement to the inner faces of the side walls of the main housing member, an inwardly extending flange on each of said side extensions each adapted to underlie the aforementioned inwardly projecting flange of its respective side wall of the main housing member in spaced relation thereto, a reverse bend upon the free edge of the main body portion of the end wall member, means for rigidly securing the right angular side extensions of the end wall member to their respective side walls of the main housing member, a lamp socket carrying plate slidable between the inwardly extending flanges of the side walls of the main housing member and the inwardly extending flanges of the right angular side extensions of the end wall member, a cover for the open side of the main housing member, and means for removab-ly securing the cover and the lamp socket carrying plate to the inwardly extending flanges of the side extensions of the end wall member.

7. A combined end wall and lamp socket supporting structure for fluorescent lighting fixture housings, comprising in combination, a main housing member of channel cross-sectional form and an end wall member therefor, flanges projecting inwardly from the free edge of each side wall of the main housing member, said end wall member comprising a main body portion adapted to form the end wall of the main housing member, right angular side extensions for engagement with and rigid securement to the inner faces of the side walls of the main housing member, an inwardly extending flange on each of said side extensions each adapted to underlie the aforementioned inwardly projecting flange of its respective side wall of the main housing member in spaced relation thereto, a reverse bend upon the free edge of the main body portion of the end wall member, means for rigidly securing the right angular side extensions of the end wall member to their respective side walls of the main housing member, a lamp socket carrying plate slidable between the inwardly extending flanges of the side walls of the main housing member and the inwardly extending flanges of the right angular side extensionsof the end wall member, a cover for the open side of the main housing member, and means for removably securing the cover and the lamp socket carrying plate to the inwardly extending flanges of' the side extensions of the end wall member, said last mentioned means comprising threaded members passing through alined openings in the cover, the inwardly extending flanges of the side Walls of the main housing member, and the lamp socket carrying plate and having threaded engagement with threaded openings in the inwardly extending flanges of the right angular side extensions of the end wall member.

8. In an extensible lighting fixture, a plurality of housing units each comprising a channel member havingan open end, and a cover member,

through the cover member, the lamp socket sup-j porting member and the ears of the coupling channel section for securing together said channel members, the light socket supporting member and the respective covers of the channel members to form a continuous housing having no partitions intermediate of its ends, and means for securing lamp sockets to the lamp socket supporting members.

1O 9. An extensible lighting fixture comprising a plurality of housing units disposed in end to end relation, each unit including a channel member, the channel members being open at their meeting ends, individual means for connecting the open ends of the channel members together, each of said individual means comprising a channel coupling member fixed to the end of one of said channel members in telescoping engagement with the open end of the adjacent channel member, a central channel provided in the channel coupling member, a boss provided on the telescoping t portion of the channel member and being seated in said channel, a screw threadedly passing through said boss and channel for fixedly securing the telescoping parts together, and lamp socket supporting means carried by said housing units and by the channel coupling member.

IRVING I. KLONER. 

